Re: How to convert .a to .lib library format?

[Ronald Landheer-Cieslak <blytkerchan at users dot sourceforge dot net>]

On Wed, Sep 03, 2003 at 10:53:56PM -0700, Amir Amin wrote:
> i have Gnupro cross toolchain installed for Ubicom ip2k processor. I
> created the .a format static archive using ip2k-elf-ar on the cygwin
> platform on win2k. 
> 
> Is it possible to convert this .a library file to .lib (Microsoft VC++
> format) static library file. or directly create the .lib format library
> using gnupro tools. 
> 
> Kindly tell me if some tools or utility is available for this purpose.
> 
> If this is not correct forum for this question, kindly tell me where i
> should put up this question.
I'm a bit confused (or you are - don't know yet) but why would you use 
ip2k-elf-ar to create Windows libraries? I'd expect ip2k-elf-ar to make
archives (.a files) for ip2k-elf :)

Anyway, if you've compiled on a Windows-native compiler (or a cross-compiler
targeting Windows) you should use an ar targeting Windows to make the .a file.
That .a file can be used without any problem as a .lib file (just rename it)
*unless* you use C++. The C++ ABI used by gcc is not the same as that of MSVC,
so C++ functions will simply not be accessible for MSVC if you haven't used
MSVC to compile them.

If you really have used a ip2k-elf-targeted toolchain, you won't be able to 
use MSVC for developing your application, because MSVC simply doesn't know
anything about ip2k-elf. (You'll be able to use it as a fancy text editor, 
of course).

A more appriopriate forum to discuss using Cygwin would be cygwin at cygwin dot
com - so if you're going to be working with Windows binaries without cross 
compiling anything, that's where further inquiries should go :)

HTH

rlc

-- 
Reading is thinking with someone else's head instead of one's own.

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